Supporting leg construction



y 1936- KJA. WE STON 7 2,047,346

SUPPORTING LEG CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 14, 1955 V nvmvrm A. A. WESTON Arm/ gr Patented July 14, 1936 UNITED STATES FATE NT QFFI'CE 2,047,346 n Sm-treatise LEG CONSTRUCTION Keith Weston, Chicago, 111., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. 11, 2. corporation of New York Application septcmber 14, 1933, Serial No. 689,363

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a supporting leg cons'truction, and more particularly to a leg constructionfor furniture.

.An object of this invention is to provide a simple, rigid and inexpensive supporting leg construction having a neat and ornamental appearance and a minimum weight commensurate with the required strength. v

One form of supporting leg construction embodying the features of this invention comprises a tapered multi-sided metallic tube having a gap extending throughout its length at one corner which is snugly fitted with a metallic shouldered angle member projecting slightly from the adjacent sides of the tube to provide an embossed corner portion, the outer surface of which is chromium plated for ornamentation. The shouldered angle member and the adjacent walls of the tube at each end are integrally united by spot welding and a clamp plate may be inserted in the tube between its ends, the plate extending diagonally from one corner of the tubeto the opposite corner thereof, formed by the inserted corner portion, toadd rigidity to the leg.

The invention will be more fully understood byv Fig. 3 is a detail section similar to Fig. 2 show-.

ing a modified form of embossed corner portion for the leg.

The supporting leg illustrated in the drawing (Figs. land 2), indicated by the'reference :numeral In, while illustrating a preferred form of the invention intended primarily for use .on card tables in which the legs are foldable against the underside of the table top, may also be applied to other types of furniture and tables. A card table of thetype to which the leg I!) is particularly applicable is fully illustrated and described in a copending application of A. L; Sinclair, .Serial No. 689,364, :filed September .14, .1933, "and since it is not essential to a complete understanding of the present invention the table has not been illustrated nor described in the present application. 7

In the construction of the leg II] a sheet of steel is formed into a tube-like member having a substantially square cross section, which is provided with a gap ll (Fig. 2) extending throughout its length at one corner thereof, the sides of the tube and the gap therein being tapered from their upper to their lower ends for appearance, and the outer surfaces of the tube are provided with a covering of baked enamel for a finish. Fitted into the gap H is an integral steel right angle member l2 having arms 13 thereof arranged to abut under tension the inner surfaces of the free sides of the tube throughout their length. A corner portion M of the member l2 which interconnects the arms l3 thereof is shouldered, as indicated at [5, to snugly fit against sheared edges of the mentioned .free sides of the tube, and extends through the gap l l a slight distance from the sides of the adjal5 cent arms of the tube to provide an embossed corner portion to complete the tube, which portion is chromium plated on its outer exposed surface for ornamentation. The angle member I2 and the embossed corner portion l4 thereof are tapere to correspond to the taper of the tubelike member forming the body of the leg Ill and in assembling the members the smaller end of the angle member is inserted in the larger end of the tube-like member with the embossed portion 14 alined with the gap H and then slid into position. The arms it of the right angle member l2 and the abutting walls of the tube are integrally united by spot welding as indicated at l6 (Fig. 1) at each end of the leg it. To add rigidity to the so leg Ill, and firmly hold the shoulders I5 of the corner portion M in position against the edges of the spaced arms of the tube, a clamp plate ll of a suitable length is inserted in the tube intermediate the ends thereof and arranged to extend 3'5 diagonally from one corner of the tube to the opposite corner thereof formed by the embossed corner portion I l of the member l2.

The leg is closed at its bottom by a foot piece [8 "con'sisting of a metal cup-shaped stamping 0 driven onto the leg and having its outer surface chromium plated for ornamentation.

In Fig. 3 there is illustrated a modified form of supporting leg structure which comprises a tube-like member similar to that shown in Figs. 45 1 :and 2, and provided with a gap 1 Slid into the tube in a manner similar to the angle member 12 of the hereinbefore describedleg structure and welded at each "end to the tube .is an angle member 25 having welded :or otherwise secured thereto a second angle member 2| which snugly fits along its longitudinal sheared edges against the sheared edges of the spaced arms of the tube to fill the gap I! and form a corner portion 22 to complete the tube. The thickness of the metal forming the angle member 2| is greater than that of the tube, thus providing an embossed corner portion 22. 1 E

In the structure just described the longitudinal sheared edges of the angle member 2| fitting the gap ll provide well defined shoulders 23 extending from the outer surface of the angle member 20 with the result such a friction tight fit of the angle member 2| in the gap II is effected that the clamp plate I! described in connection with the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 2 may be omitted.

The construction described provides a rigid and durable supporting leg of a minimum weight commensurate with the required strength and having a neat and pleasing appearance and one which is practical to manufacture at a low cost. Furthermore, there is no unsightly seam, such as is frequently found in tubular legs as heretofore manufactured.

Although the supporting leg has been illustrated and described as being substantially square in cross-section, it will be apparent that it may be polygonal or circular in cross-section. Furthermore, although the invention has been herein described as particularly well adapted for use in connection with card tables, it is to be understood that the novel features thereof are capable of numerous other applications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A leg construction for tables comprising a tapered four sided metallic tube-like member having a gap at one corner extending throughout its length, said gap being narrow relative to the width of the leg, and a right angle metallic element inserted in said member with arms thereof secured to the inner surfaces of said member and an embossed chromium plated portion interconnecting the arms fitting in the gap and projecting outside the outer surfaces of said member to form a corner portion in the gap.

2. A leg construction for furniture comprising a tube-like member having a gap along its length,

an element having portions fixed to the inner surface of said member at each end thereof and an embossed portion fitting in the gap, and means in said member arranged between its ends and extending between inner surfaces of said member and the embossed portion of said element to clamp said element to said member at a point between its ends.

3. A leg construction for tables comprising a tube-like member having a gap along its length, said gap being narrow relative to the width of the leg, an element secured to the inner surface of said member having an embossed chromium plated portion fitting in the gap, and a cupshaped chromium plated foot piece fixed to and closing the bottom of said member.

4. A leg construction for tables comprising a tube-like member having a gap along its length, an element having portions fixed to the inner surface of said member and an embossed portion fitting in the gap, means retained by friction tightness in said member arranged between its ends and extending between inner surfaces of said member and the embossed portion of said element to clamp said element to said member at a point between its ends, and a foot piece fixed to and closing the bottom of said member.

5. A leg construction for furniture comprising a tube-like member having a gap along its length, an element inserted in and bearing against said member, and means secured to the outer surface of said element arranged within the gap and having a friction tight fit against the edges of said member at opposite sides of the gap.

6. A leg construction for furniture comprising a tube-like member having a gap along its length, an element inserted in and bearing against said member, and means having a greater thickness than that of the tube secured to the outer surface of said element arranged within and extending between the edges of the gap to provide an embossed portion, said means having a friction tight fit against the edges of said member at opposite sides of the gap.

'7. A metal leg construction for furniture comprising a multi-sided tube-like member having a gap at one corner along its length, the free sides of said member being flat and extending closely adjacent to each other whereby said gap is narrow relative to the width of the leg, and an angle element inserted in said member having arms thereof abutting inner surfaces of outer portions of the assembled leg and an embossed portion extending between the arms and fitting in the gap to form a corner portion of the leg.

8. A sheet metal leg comprising a. hollow body member constituting the major portion of the leg but having a gap extending along its length at one corner, and a sheet metal filling member for said gap, said filling member having shouldered edges abutting the edges of said body member and side extensions at an angle to said shouldered edges and abutting the adjacent inner Walls of said body member, said body member and said filling member being Welded to each other solely at the ends of the leg.

9. A sheet metal leg comprising a hollow body member constituting the major portion of the leg but having a gap extending along its length at one corner, the free sides of said member being fiat and extending closely adjacent to each other whereby said gap is narrow relative to the width of the leg, and a sheet metal filling member for said gap, said filling member having shouldered edges abutting the edges of said body member and side extensions at an angle to said shouldered edges and abutting the adjacent inner walls of said body member, said filling member being formed of a single strip of sheet metal bent along longitudinal lines to form said shoulders and to form a rounded angle at the corner of the leg.

10. A sheet metal leg comprising a hollow body member constituting the major portion of the leg but having a gap extending along its length at one corner, said gap being narrow relative to the width of the leg, and a sheet metal filling member for said gap, said filling member having shouldered edges abutting the edges of said body member and side extensions at an angle to said shouldered edges and abutting the adjacent inner walls of said body member, said filling member having a metallic plated finish on its exposed surface and said body member having an organic finish on its exposed surface.

KEITH A. WESTON. 

